Eating yogurt in the evening can provide multiple health benefits, particularly for digestion and nutrient absorption, as the digestive system slows down during this time. Dr. Dao Tran Tien, a specialist in the Digestive Department at Tam Anh General Hospital in Hanoi, highlights that a standard 100-gram serving of yogurt contains approximately 61 kcal, 3.5 grams of protein, 4.7 grams of carbohydrates, and 3.3 grams of fat. This fermented dairy product is packed with essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin B12, riboflavin (B2), phosphorus, magnesium, and probiotics.
Health Benefits of Eating Yogurt at Night
1. Enhancing Calcium Absorption
Yogurt is rich in calcium and vitamin D, making it an excellent food choice for strengthening bones. Dr. Tien explains that consuming yogurt in the evening allows the body to maximize calcium absorption, promoting bone health and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
2. Supporting Gut Health and Microbiome Balance
A well-balanced gut microbiome is essential for proper digestion and overall health. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, along with probiotics that stimulate the growth of healthy gut bacteria. This helps regulate digestion, minimize intestinal inflammation, and improve nutrient absorption. A balanced gut microbiome can also prevent digestive issues like constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and colitis.
3. Alleviating Indigestion and Bloating
For individuals who are lactose intolerant, consuming dairy products often leads to bloating, stomach discomfort, or diarrhea. However, since yogurt undergoes a fermentation process that partially breaks down lactose, it becomes easier to digest. Probiotics in yogurt further aid digestion by reducing inflammation in the intestinal lining and easing bloating, particularly when consumed at night.
4. Preventing Constipation
The body’s digestive activity naturally slows down in the evening, which can contribute to bloating and constipation, especially in individuals with a low fiber intake. Probiotics in yogurt promote intestinal motility and stimulate bowel movements, helping to prevent constipation. Dr. Tien notes that people who regularly consume yogurt at night experience fewer digestive issues compared to those who don’t.
Best Practices for Eating Yogurt in the Evening
Dr. Tien advises consuming yogurt after a meal rather than on an empty stomach, as the latter can irritate the stomach lining and increase the risk of ulcers. For optimal nutritional benefits, yogurt can be paired with fruits, oats, seeds, or nuts to enhance metabolism and gut health.
Additionally, it’s best to opt for unsweetened or low-sugar yogurt, as high sugar content can contribute to obesity and negatively impact the gut microbiome. Dr. Tien also cautions against eating yogurt immediately after dinner, as it may cause bloating and discomfort, disrupting sleep. The ideal time to enjoy yogurt is about one to two hours after dinner, allowing the stomach to digest most of the food beforehand.
By incorporating yogurt into an evening routine in a mindful way, individuals can optimize their digestive health and overall well-being.
Japanese authorities have arrested three teenagers for allegedly exploiting AI technology to commit cyber fraud, using ChatGPT to create fake mobile phone contracts and illegally access carrier networks. The suspects, aged 14, 15, and 16, reportedly developed an AI-powered program to forge contracts and hack into the Rakuten Mobile network, according to local media sources including the Yomiuri Shimbun.
The two high school students and one middle schooler are accused of purchasing stolen personal data—such as credit card details, IDs, and passwords—on the dark web. They then used this data, along with their AI-generated tools, to set up fraudulent accounts, enabling unauthorized access to the mobile carrier’s network.
A police spokesperson confirmed to AFP that two of the teens were taken into custody on Tuesday on charges of violating Japan's Unauthorized Access Prohibition Act and committing computer fraud.
Reports suggest that the trio successfully sold at least 2,500 fraudulent contracts, generating approximately JPY 7.5 million (around USD 50,000) in cryptocurrency. Investigators also revealed that the teens had acquired more than 3.3 billion sets of ID credentials and passwords through an anonymous seller on Telegram, an encrypted messaging platform known for its use in cybercrime circles.
Rakuten Mobile’s parent company, Rakuten, issued a public advisory urging customers to remain vigilant against unfamiliar contracts. In a statement, the company acknowledged the fraudulent activity, confirming that illicitly obtained IDs and passwords had been used to create unauthorized accounts.
Rakuten assured customers that it had fully cooperated with police investigations, suspended the fraudulent contracts, and reset affected passwords to prevent further unauthorized access. The company also emphasized that no internal data leaks had been detected within its systems.
This case highlights growing concerns over AI-assisted cybercrime, as authorities and companies struggle to keep pace with criminals using advanced technology to orchestrate sophisticated fraud schemes.
In a recent post on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed details about his executive order on digital assets issued in January, stating that it would establish a national reserve of various cryptocurrencies. The reserve is set to include bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), XRP, solana (SOL), and cardano (ADA)—the first time specific assets have been publicly named as part of the plan.
More than an hour after his initial post, Trump followed up, emphasizing that bitcoin and ether would be the "heart of the Reserve," underscoring their central role in the initiative.
Following Trump's announcement, the cryptocurrency market experienced a surge in value. Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, jumped over 11% to $94,164 on Sunday afternoon, while ether rose about 13% to $2,516. The overall crypto market added over $300 billion in value, reflecting a roughly 10% increase, according to data from CoinGecko.
XRP, one of the digital assets mentioned, is the token associated with Ripple Labs. The company has been actively involved in U.S. politics, backing a super PAC aimed at influencing congressional elections in favor of cryptocurrency-friendly policies, as reported by Reuters.
Market experts view this move as a significant shift in the U.S. government's approach to cryptocurrency. Federico Brokate, head of U.S. business at 21Shares, a digital assets investment management firm, described it as a turning point. He noted that the policy could accelerate institutional adoption of crypto, provide greater regulatory clarity, and reinforce U.S. leadership in the digital asset sector.
However, some analysts expressed surprise at the inclusion of cryptocurrencies beyond bitcoin. James Butterfill, head of research at CoinShares, pointed out that unlike bitcoin, many of these assets function more like technology investments. He suggested that the decision signals a broader pro-crypto stance by the Trump administration, potentially prioritizing American-led crypto innovations over traditional financial considerations.
Trump's support for the crypto industry has been evident throughout his 2024 election campaign, earning him backing from major players in the sector. Since returning to the White House, he has taken swift action to support crypto-friendly policies, including hosting the first-ever White House Crypto Summit scheduled for Friday. Additionally, his family has entered the crypto space by launching their own digital tokens.
This approach marks a stark contrast to the regulatory environment under former President Joe Biden, whose administration cracked down on the crypto industry to combat fraud and money laundering. Under Biden, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) aggressively pursued lawsuits against crypto firms. However, Trump's SEC has since withdrawn several investigations and dismissed a lawsuit against Coinbase, the largest U.S.-based crypto exchange.
Despite Trump's favorable policies, the crypto market has faced downward pressure in recent weeks. Many digital currencies have erased nearly all of the gains made after Trump's election victory initially fueled excitement among investors. Analysts believe that for the market to regain momentum, key drivers such as interest rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve or a clear regulatory framework from the Trump administration will be necessary.
A recent Reuters report highlighted that Geoff Kendrick, an analyst at Standard Chartered, has projected that bitcoin could reach $500,000 before the end of Trump's term, far surpassing its previous all-time high of $109,071. Meanwhile, regulatory filings in the U.S. indicate that institutional interest in crypto remains strong, with hedge funds leading as dominant buyers, followed by banks and sovereign wealth funds.
Quarterly reports also showed that asset managers significantly increased their holdings in U.S.-based spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) during the fourth quarter of 2024.
Legal experts remain divided on whether congressional approval will be required to establish the national crypto reserve. Some argue that the U.S. Treasury’s Exchange Stabilization Fund (ESF), traditionally used for managing foreign currency reserves, could be leveraged for the initiative without requiring legislative approval.
Trump's team had also been exploring the possibility of building the reserve using cryptocurrencies seized in law enforcement actions, a strategy that could provide an initial supply of digital assets for the stockpile.
As the administration moves forward with its ambitious crypto strategy, all eyes are on how regulatory policies will unfold and whether the digital asset reserve will materialize as envisioned.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that his administration would implement a 25% tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada starting Tuesday, a move that has fueled concerns of a looming trade war within North America. The decision sent shockwaves through financial markets, leading to sharp declines in U.S. stocks while also causing a drop in the value of the Mexican peso and the Canadian dollar.
Speaking at the White House, Trump defended the tariffs as a necessary measure to encourage automakers and other manufacturers to shift production to the United States. He stated that if companies were to establish their plants domestically, they would not be subject to the tariffs. Trump also indicated that there was no longer room for negotiations aimed at avoiding the trade barriers, particularly in relation to Mexico’s efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.
In addition to the tariffs on Mexico and Canada, Trump announced that reciprocal duties would take effect on April 2 against countries that impose tariffs on American products. He also reiterated his intention to raise tariffs on all Chinese imports from 10% to 20%, arguing that Beijing has failed to take meaningful steps to curb the illicit drug trade, particularly shipments of fentanyl to the U.S.
Economists and business leaders have warned that these tariffs, which apply to over $900 billion in annual imports from Canada and Mexico, could disrupt the deeply interconnected North American economy. The policy is expected to have significant consequences for various industries, particularly the automotive sector, which relies heavily on cross-border supply chains.
The Trump administration confirmed that the tariffs would officially take effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on Tuesday. Under the new policy, Mexico and Canada will both face a 25% tariff on their exports to the U.S., while Canadian energy exports will be subject to a 10% duty.
Officials in Mexico have yet to issue a response to the decision. However, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly made it clear that Ottawa was prepared to retaliate. Expressing frustration over what she described as the “unpredictability and chaos” coming from the White House, she assured reporters that Canada would take necessary measures to address the situation.
The stock market reacted negatively to the tariff announcement, with major indices experiencing significant losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged by 649.67 points (1.48%), while the S&P 500 fell 104.78 points (1.76%) and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 497.09 points (2.64%). Shares of automakers also suffered, with General Motors—known for its truck production in Mexico—declining by 4%, while Ford saw a 1.7% drop.
Trade and economic analysts have warned that the tariffs could lead to price increases for consumers in a matter of days. Gustavo Flores-Macias, a public policy professor at Cornell University, noted that these costs would likely be passed down to consumers, further straining household budgets. As businesses and governments brace for the economic fallout, the impact of Trump's latest trade policy decision remains uncertain.
Donald Trump’s recent decision to halt U.S. military aid to Ukraine has intensified tensions between Washington and Kyiv, highlighting a growing rift in their wartime alliance. The move is part of Trump’s broader strategy to push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into peace negotiations with Russia, as the U.S. president has made ending the war a top priority.
Trump's frustration with Zelensky became evident after a tense and unproductive Oval Office meeting, which further strained relations. Following the encounter, Trump criticized Zelensky’s recent remarks suggesting that the end of Russia’s invasion was still a distant prospect. This statement appeared to anger Trump, who believes that Ukraine is unwilling to pursue a peace settlement as long as it has U.S. and European support. Trump has also signaled skepticism about continued military assistance, stating that aid should contribute to a resolution rather than prolong the conflict.
The fallout from the meeting has placed Zelensky under mounting pressure, not only from Trump himself but also from key figures within his administration and political allies. Some prominent Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Lindsey Graham, have suggested that if Zelensky is unwilling to adapt to Trump’s expectations, Ukraine may need a new leader who is more open to negotiations. Graham went as far as implying that Zelensky should either resign or significantly alter his stance to remain in good standing with the U.S.
Another major consequence of the diplomatic breakdown was the abrupt cancellation of a crucial minerals agreement between Ukraine and the United States. The deal, which was originally set to be signed during Zelensky’s visit to Washington, would have provided the U.S. with access to Ukraine’s critical mineral resources. In turn, Ukraine would have used the agreement to help offset the substantial financial and military aid it has received from the U.S. since the start of the war. However, after the disastrous Oval Office meeting, White House officials called off the signing and asked Zelensky’s delegation to leave, dealing a further blow to U.S.-Ukraine relations.
As the situation continues to unfold, Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely observing the widening cracks in Western unity with great interest. Experts suggest that Putin sees little incentive to negotiate at this stage, as the growing divisions between the U.S. and Europe over Ukraine could work to Russia’s advantage. With Trump’s administration now reviewing its support for Kyiv and key European leaders scrambling to reassess their defense strategies, Ukraine faces increased uncertainty about its future military backing.
Japan is battling its largest wildfire in over 30 years, with thousands evacuated as the blaze continues to spread. Around 2,000 people fled their homes in northern Japan’s Ofunato, while more than 1,200 took shelter elsewhere.
Officials say the fire, which began four days ago, has already burned over 1,800 hectares. Military helicopters have been deployed to combat the flames, but thick smoke continues to rise.
At least one person has died, over 80 buildings have been damaged, and nearly 1,700 firefighters from across the country are working to contain the disaster.
Wildfires in Japan have declined since their peak in the 1970s, but they still occur frequently, particularly from February to April when dry conditions and strong winds increase the risk. In 2023 alone, Japan recorded around 1,300 wildfires.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his desire to mend ties with Donald Trump and work under his leadership to secure lasting peace in Ukraine. This came after Trump’s unexpected decision to freeze U.S. military aid to Kyiv, straining relations between the two countries.
Zelensky acknowledged that his recent meeting with Trump in Washington had not gone as planned and called for a “truce” in the sea and sky as a first step toward ending the war with Russia. He also reaffirmed Ukraine’s willingness to sign a key minerals deal with the U.S.
Trump’s move to halt aid raised fears in Kyiv and across Europe that the U.S. was shifting its stance in favor of Russia. The Kremlin welcomed the decision, suggesting it could push Ukraine toward peace talks. Meanwhile, European leaders scrambled to reinforce their support for Ukraine, with the EU proposing an $840 billion defense plan and Germany considering fast-tracking a three-billion-euro aid package.
Ordinary Ukrainians reacted with shock, with some calling Trump’s decision a betrayal. Poland and France noted that U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine had already been disrupted.
Despite the setback, Zelensky signaled Ukraine’s readiness to grant the U.S. priority access to its natural resources. Meanwhile, Britain and France explored the possibility of a one-month ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, potentially backed by troops on the ground. However, U.S. Vice President JD Vance dismissed the idea, leading to a backlash from European officials.
South Korea’s Air Force reported that a KF-16 fighter jet accidentally dropped eight bombs outside the designated training area during an exercise, causing civilian injuries. The incident happened in Pocheon, near the North Korean border.
The military expressed regret over the accident, which resulted in property damage and displaced residents. Four people were seriously injured, while three suffered minor injuries. A church and two houses were also damaged.
The Air Force launched an investigation and promised compensation. The mishap occurred during a joint live-fire exercise with the Army, and South Korea was also conducting drills with the U.S. at the time.
Local residents described a massive explosion that shook buildings and shattered windows. A senior center about a kilometer away also felt the blast, causing panic among the elderly.
The incident comes ahead of the annual South Korea-U.S. "Freedom Shield" military exercises. The two Koreas remain in a technical state of war, with the U.S. maintaining a strong military presence in South Korea.
This is not the first such accident; in 2022, a South Korean ballistic missile misfired and crashed on a military golf course without causing injuries.
For decades, Mexico’s industrial border regions flourished thanks to trade with the neighboring U.S. However, newly imposed tariffs are now threatening thousands of factories and jobs.
Mexico has long attracted companies due to lower labor costs, tax incentives, and the North American free trade pact. But former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on Mexican goods have cast uncertainty over the trade deal, which was renegotiated during his first term.
These tariffs will impact manufacturers across industries, from medical supplies to semiconductors, said Jose Luis Contreras, head of the Mesa de Otay Industrial Association in Tijuana. Many products, like auto parts, cross the border multiple times during production, making the tariffs especially disruptive.
Tijuana, home to around 400 factories, sees about a million cargo crossings per year. Contreras suggested that Mexico should rethink its trade strategy, potentially strengthening domestic production under the USMCA agreement and exploring new markets while offering tax incentives. He emphasized the urgency, as 80,000 factory jobs near Tijuana alone are at risk.
The tariffs have also slowed Mexico’s efforts to attract U.S. companies relocating from Asia, a process known as "nearshoring." In response, President Claudia Sheinbaum has warned that Mexico may look for other trading partners if necessary and has vowed to impose retaliatory tariffs. Sheinbaum has also advocated for replacing Chinese imports with locally made goods to address U.S. concerns about China using Mexico as a gateway into the American market.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed that Mexico had even suggested mirroring Washington’s tariffs on China. Meanwhile, Mexican business leaders in Nuevo Leon blamed China for the trade tensions, arguing that North America should strengthen regional cooperation instead of imposing trade barriers.
With over 80% of Mexico’s exports going to the U.S., analysts warn the tariffs could push the country into recession. Sheinbaum accused Trump of violating the USMCA, noting that Mexico’s role in U.S. trade growth was a result of longstanding cooperation. Contreras, however, believes Mexico’s skilled workforce will remain a key advantage, even if competitiveness takes a hit.
The North-South railway through the northern coastal province of Ha Tinh has come to a halt following a collision between freight train HH62 and a truck crossing the tracks, reported the local media.
Kieu Dinh Ai, chief of Hoa Duyet Station, said that the accident occurred at 7:50 a.m. this morning, March 1, on the railway passing through Duc Lien Commune, Vu Quang District, Ha Tinh Province.
A truck was crossing a level crossing in Duc Lien Commune when its engine malfunctioned at the intersection with the railway in Lien Hoa Village.
The driver opened the door and left the cabin. At that moment, northbound freight train SH62 approached and rammed into the truck.
The collision resulted in the freight train driver being injured; the locomotive and three freight cars were derailed.
The accident completely paralyzed the North-South railway through Duc Lien Commune. Due to the significant displacement of the railway tracks, it will take considerable time to restore the line.
Reportedly, the crossing is an unauthorized path opened by local residents without official approval. Authorities are currently working to address the aftermath of the accident.
Twin sisters Le Quynh Anh and Le Quynh Huong from Ho Chi Minh City have been awarded scholarships totaling $680,000 to study computer science at the University of Richmond in the U.S.
Each sister received a $340,000 offer from the school, which is ranked 22nd among U.S. liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report.
They learned of their admissions and scholarship offers on Feb. 22. Huong woke first to check her emails, then immediately shared the news with Anh.
"I was congratulated by the school as well, same as Huong. We were so happy and broke the news to our parents," Anh said.
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According to the University of Richmond, the twins' applications were selected from a pool of around 13,000, with only 100 students advancing to the final interview round. If they accept the offers, they will begin studying at Richmond in the fall.
The 19-year-old twins' father is a computer science engineer, which motivated them to explore programming from an early age. In eighth grade, they began developing games using the Scratch programming language, creating one where a cat moved back and forth across the screen. They later learned additional programming languages, including Python and C++, and participated in hackathons and robotics competitions. Notably, they won a silver medal at the 2023 World Robot Olympiad in Panama.
While in high school in HCMC, both girls set their sights on studying computer science in the U.S. They scored above 1,550 on the SAT and 8.5 on the IELTS, and they also prepared for Advanced Placement (AP) exams to strengthen their scholarship applications.
Last year, the sisters applied to around 10 U.S. universities, including several Ivy League institutions, but were only shortlisted for some of their choices. Determined, they reapplied to 20 schools this admission cycle, submitting a research project and an internship certificate. Their study, guided by a Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine professor, focused on using AI to categorize medicinal ingredients.
Tran Anh Khoa, a researcher at Peking University who has worked with the sisters, described them as passionate about technology with clear goals from the outset. Huong is interested in exploring computer science applications in linguistics, while Anh plans to focus on medical technology.
Chinese Law Enforcement and Intelligence Services Leveraged China’s Reckless and Indiscriminate Hacker-for-Hire Ecosystem, Including the "APT 27" Group, to Suppress Free Speech and Dissent Globally and to Steal Data from Numerous Organizations Worldwide
The Justice Department, FBI, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and Departments of State and the Treasury announced today their coordinated efforts to disrupt and deter the malicious cyber activities of 12 Chinese nationals, including two officers of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Ministry of Public Security (MPS), employees of an ostensibly private PRC company, Anxun Information Technology Co. Ltd. (安洵信息技术有限公司) also known as "i-Soon", and members of Advanced Persistent Threat 27 (APT27).
These malicious cyber actors, acting as freelancers or as employees of i-Soon, conducted computer intrusions at the direction of the PRC’s MPS and Ministry of State Security (MSS) and on their own initiative. The MPS and MSS paid handsomely for stolen data. Victims include U.S.-based critics and dissidents of the PRC, a large religious organization in the United States, the foreign ministries of multiple governments in Asia, and U.S. federal and state government agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) in late 2024.
"The Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue those who threaten our cybersecurity by stealing from our government and our people", said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. "Today, we are exposing the Chinese government agents directing and fostering indiscriminate and reckless attacks against computers and networks worldwide, as well as the enabling companies and individual hackers that they have unleashed. We will continue to fight to dismantle this ecosystem of cyber mercenaries and protect our national security"
"The FBI is committed to protecting Americans from foreign cyber-attacks", said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division. "Today’s announcements reveal that the Chinese Ministry of Public Security has been paying hackers-for-hire to inflict digital harm on Americans who criticize the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). To those victims who bravely came forward with evidence of intrusions, we thank you for standing tall and defending our democracy. And to those who choose to aid the CCP in its unlawful cyber activities, these charges should demonstrate that we will use all available tools to identify you, indict you, and expose your malicious activity for all the world to see".
According to court documents, the MPS and MSS employed an extensive network of private companies and contractors in China to hack and steal information in a manner that obscured the PRC government’s involvement. In some cases, the MPS and MSS paid private hackers in China to exploit specific victims.
In many other cases, the hackers targeted victims speculatively. Operating from their safe haven and motivated by profit, this network of private companies and contractors in China cast a wide net to identify vulnerable computers, exploit those computers, and then identify information that it could sell directly or indirectly to the PRC government.
The result of this largely indiscriminate approach was more worldwide computer intrusion victims, more systems worldwide left vulnerable to future exploitation by third parties, and more stolen information, often of no interest to the PRC government and, therefore, sold to other third-parties. Additional information regarding the indictments and the PRC’s hacker-for-hire ecosystem is available in Public Service Announcements published by the FBI today.
U.S. v. Wu Haibo et al., Southern District of New York
Today, a federal court in Manhattan unsealed an indictment charging eight i-Soon employees and two MPS officers for their involvement, from at least in or around 2016 through in or around 2023, in the numerous and widespread hacking of email accounts, cell phones, servers, and websites. The Department also announced today the court-authorized seizure of the primary internet domain used by i-Soon to advertise its business.
"State-sponsored hacking is an acute threat to our community and national security", said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky for the Southern District of New York. "For years, these 10 defendants — two of whom we allege are PRC officials — used sophisticated hacking techniques to target religious organizations, journalists, and government agencies, all to gather sensitive information for the use of the PRC. These charges will help stop these state-sponsored hackers and protect our national security. The career prosecutors of this office and our law enforcement partners will continue to uncover alleged state-sponsored hacking schemes, disrupt them, and bring those responsible to justice".
The defendants remain at large and wanted by the FBI. Concurrent with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of any person who, while acting at the direction or under the control of a foreign government, engages in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The reward is offered for the following individuals who are alleged to have worked in various capacities to direct or carry out i-Soon’s malicious cyber activity:
- Wu Haibo (吴海波), Chief Executive Officer
- Chen Cheng (陈诚), Chief Operating Officer
- Wang Zhe (王哲), Sales Director
- Liang Guodong (梁国栋), Technical Staff
- Ma Li (马丽), Technical Staff
- Wang Yan (王堰), Technical Staff
- Xu Liang (徐梁), Technical Staff
- Zhou Weiwei (周伟伟), Technical Staff
- Wang Liyu (王立宇), MPS Officer
- Sheng Jing (盛晶), MPS Officer
i-Soon and its employees, to include the defendants, generated tens of millions of dollars in revenue as a key player in the PRC’s hacker-for-hire ecosystem. In some instances, i-Soon conducted computer intrusions at the request of the MSS or MPS, including cyber-enabled transnational repression at the direction of the MPS officer defendants. In other instances, i-Soon conducted computer intrusions on its own initiative and then sold, or attempted to sell, the stolen data to at least 43 different bureaus of the MSS or MPS in at least 31 separate provinces and municipalities in China. i-Soon charged the MSS and MPS between approximately $10,000 and $75,000 for each email inbox it successfully exploited. i-Soon also trained MPS employees how to hack independently of i-Soon and offered a variety of hacking methods for sale to its customers.
The defendants’ U.S.-located targets included a large religious organization that previously sent missionaries to China and was openly critical of the PRC government and an organization focused on promoting human rights and religious freedom in China. In addition, the defendants targeted multiple news organizations in the United States, including those that have opposed the CCP or delivered uncensored news to audiences in Asia, including China and the New York State Assembly, one of whose representatives had communicated with members of a religious organization banned in China.
The defendants’ foreign-located targets included a religious leader and his office, and a Hong Kong newspaper that i-Soon considered as being opposed to the PRC government. The defendants also targeted the foreign ministries of Taiwan, India, South Korea, and Indonesia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan B. Finkel, Steven J. Kochevar, and Kevin Mead for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case.
U.S. v. Yin Kecheng and U.S. v. Zhou Shuai et al., District of Columbia
Today, a federal court unsealed two indictments charging APT27 actors Yin Kecheng (尹可成) and Zhou Shuai (周帅) also known as "Coldface" for their involvement in the multi-year, for-profit computer intrusion campaigns dating back, in the case of Yin, to 2013. The Department also announced today court-authorized seizures of internet domains and computer server accounts used by Yin and Zhou to facilitate their hacking activity.
The defendants remain at large. View the FBI’s Wanted posters for Shuai and Kecheng here.
Concurrent with today’s announcement, the Department of States State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is announcing two reward offers under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) of up to $2 million each for information leading to the arrests and convictions, in any country, of malicious cyber actors Yin Kecheng and Zhou Shuai, both Chinese nationals residing in China.
"These indictments and actions show this office’s long-standing commitment to vigorously investigate and hold accountable Chinese hackers and data brokers who endanger U.S. national security and other victims across the globe", said Interim U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. "The defendants in these cases have been hacking for the Chinese government for years, and these indictments lay out the strong evidence showing their criminal wrongdoing. We again demand that the Chinese government to put a stop to these brazen cyber criminals who are targeting victims across the globe and then monetizing the data they have stolen by selling it across China".
The APT27 group to which Yin and Zhou belong is also known to private sector security researchers as "Threat Group 3390", "Bronze Union", "Emissary Panda", "Lucky Mouse","“Iron Tiger", "UTA0178", "UNC 5221", and "Silk Typhoon". As alleged in court documents, between August 2013 and December 2024, Yin, Zhou, and their co-conspirators exploited vulnerabilities in victim networks, conducted reconnaissance once inside those networks, and installed malware, such as PlugX malware, that provided persistent access.
The defendants and their co-conspirators then identified and stole data from the compromised networks by exfiltrating it to servers under their control. Next, they brokered stolen data for sale and provided it to various customers, only some of whom had connections to the PRC government and military. For example, Zhou sold data stolen by Yin through i-Soon, whose primary customers, as noted above, were PRC government agencies, including the MSS and the MPS.
The defendants’ motivations were financial and, because they were profit-driven, they targeted broadly, rendering victim systems vulnerable well beyond their pilfering of data and other information that they could sell. Between them, Yin and Zhou sought to profit from the hacking of numerous U.S.-based technology companies, think tanks, law firms, defense contractors, local governments, health care systems, and universities, leaving behind them a wake of millions of dollars in damages.
The documents related to the seizure warrants, also unsealed today, further allege that Yin and Zhou continued to engage in hacking activity, including Yin’s involvement in the recently announced hack of Treasury between approximately September and December 2024. Virtual private servers used to conduct the Treasury intrusion belonged to, and were controlled by, an account that Yin and his co-conspirators established. Yin and his co-conspirators used that same account and other linked accounts they controlled to lease servers used for additional malicious cyber activity. The seizure warrant unsealed today allowed the FBI to seize the virtual private servers and other infrastructure used by the defendants to perpetrate these crimes.
On Jan. 17, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Yin for his role in hacking that agency between September and December 2024. Concurrent with today’s indictments, OFAC also announced sanctions on Zhou and Shanghai Heiying Information Technology Company Ltd., a company operated by Zhou for purposes of his hacking activity.
Private sector partners are also taking voluntary actions to raise awareness and strengthen defenses against the PRC’s malicious cyber activity. Today, Microsoft published research that highlights its unique, updated insights into Silk Typhoon tactics, techniques, and procedures specifically its targeting of the IT supply chain.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack F. Korba and Tejpal S. Chawla for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Tanner Kroeger of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case.
***
The above disruptive actions targeting PRC malicious cyber activities were the result of investigations conducted by FBI New York and Washington Field Offices, FBI Cyber Division, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of New York and District of Columbia and the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the case.
The Department acknowledges the value of public-private partnerships in combating advanced cyber threats and recognizes Microsoft, Volexity, PwC, and Mandiant for their valuable assistance in these investigations.
The details in the above-described indictments and warrants are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Consuming eggs daily can enhance your skin and hair, improve your vision, and bolster the health of your bones, heart, and brain.
Eggs are considered one of the most nutrient-dense foods available, packed with essential nutrients that can develop a single cell into a chick, according to Healthline.
Specifically, a large boiled egg offers 78 calories, 6 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat, along with 8% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin A, 6% for folate, 14% for pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), 23% for vitamin B12, 20% for riboflavin (vitamin B2), 7% for phosphorus, and 28% for selenium.
Eggs also provide good amounts of vitamins D and E, vitamin B6, calcium, and zinc, nearly covering every nutrient your body needs.
Eating Well reported that the American Heart Association recommends one to two eggs per day as a high-quality protein source.
The following are the scientifically backed health benefits of daily egg consumption:
Increased satiety and energy
Eggs are nutritional powerhouses, particularly the yolks, which are abundant in vitamins B12 and D, and choline. These nutrients help transform food into usable energy, and the mix of protein and healthy fats in eggs keeps you fuller for longer.
Enhanced hair and skin health
Loaded with several B vitamins, eggs are crucial for maintaining healthy skin and hair, as outlined in a 2020 review in Current Nutrition Reports. They are also rich in essential amino acids that enhance skin tone and strengthen hair and nails.
Improved cognitive function
Eggs are rich in choline, which supports the development of cell membranes and vital neurotransmitters. Sufficient choline intake is essential for memory, mood, muscle control, and overall nervous system function, making eggs a brain-boosting food.
Better vision
Egg yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids vital for eye health and may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, according to 2022 research published in Nutrients.
Stronger bones
Eggs promote calcium absorption due to their vitamin D content, crucial for maintaining proper calcium and phosphorus levels, which supports healthy bone growth and remodeling.
Potential heart health improvements
Although eggs contain cholesterol, dietary cholesterol has minimal impact on blood cholesterol levels. Studies show that consuming up to two eggs daily may benefit heart health, especially when included in a diet balanced with lean and plant-based proteins.
Eggs also contain heart-healthy nutrients like potassium and folate.
Regularly consuming warm lemon water, artichoke tea, apple juice, or mung bean water can help detoxify and support liver function.
Every day, the liver processes a large amount of substances that enter the body. The process of breaking down alcohol and fat takes extra time and can easily affect liver health.
Dr. Doan Vinh Binh from the Medical Information Center at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City states that a scientific diet, healthy lifestyle, exercise, combined with drinking these seven detoxifying drinks can help detoxify the liver, restore liver function, and maintain overall health.
1. Warm lemonade
Rich in vitamin C, warm lemonade boosts the production of glutathione, an essential compound in the liver’s detox process. Drinking lemonade in the morning stimulates bile secretion and improves digestion. Its natural acidity also helps balance the body’s pH, supports liver enzymes, and reduces fat.
A glass of water with lemon. Illustration photo by Pexels
2. Green tea
Green tea is packed with catechin antioxidants that protect liver cells from the harmful effects of alcohol. Regular consumption can improve liver function and promote the breakdown of fats in the body. It also reduces liver inflammation, limits fat buildup in the liver, and slows the progression of liver fibrosis.
3. Apple juice
Apple juice contains malic acid, which helps prevent and improve conditions like gallstones and aids in toxin removal. Drinking apple juice before meals boosts digestive activity, stimulates bile secretion, reduces bloating, and enhances liver efficiency.
4. Artichoke water
Artichoke water contains silymarin, a compound that protects the liver from alcohol-induced damage and promotes liver cell regeneration. Drinking artichoke water after meals supports digestion, improves liver function, reduces bad cholesterol, and benefits heart health.
5. Vegetable juice
Vegetable juices, such as those made from celery, carrots, and winter melon, provide fiber and vitamins that aid in liver detoxification. Including these juices in your diet supports detoxification and overall health.
Celery, rich in apigenin, reduces inflammation and supports liver function, while carrots, full of beta-carotene, protect the liver from oxidative damage.
6. Mung bean water
Mung bean water is packed with antioxidants and natural compounds that detoxify, relieve liver pressure, and encourage liver cell regeneration. Drinking mung bean water after alcohol consumption helps restore balance, reduce fatigue, and prevent long-term liver damage.
7. Apple cider vinegar
Diluted apple cider vinegar regulates lipid metabolism in the liver, controls weight, and prevents fat buildup. The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar also helps regulate blood sugar levels.
The liver can regenerate when properly cared for early on. Dr. Binh recommends getting enough sleep, resting, and exercising moderately to speed up liver regeneration.
People showing signs of liver disease should seek medical attention early to identify the cause and follow their doctor’s treatment plan. Regular supplementation with natural extracts from Wasabia and S. Marianum can enhance detoxification, protect the liver by controlling overactive Kupffer cells, reduce inflammation, and prevent liver damage. These extracts also help prevent liver diseases.
President makes false claims about border crossings, regulations, the economy, inflation and many other issues.
Analysis by Glenn Kessler
President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday was vintage Trump: long, rambling and chock-full of stretched facts and dubious figures. Many of these claims have been fact-checked repeatedly, yet the president persists in using them. Here, in the order in which he made them, are 26 statements by the president that were untrue, misleading or lacked context.
As is our practice, we do not award Pinocchios in speech roundups.
“We won the popular vote by big numbers and won counties in our country 2,700 to 525.”
These are misleading metrics. Unlike in 2016, Trump won the popular vote, but only narrowly. On a percentage basis, his margin over Democratic nominee Kamala Harris was 1.5 percent, the smallest since 2000 and the fourth smallest since 1960.
As for counties, most of the counties that Trump won are sparsely populated. So, while he won 2,633 counties compared to Harris’s 427, she nearly matched him in the popular vote. Moreover, most of the nation’s economic output is in counties that Harris won. The Brookings Institution calculated that while Trump won 86 percent of the nation’s total counties, those counties represent 38 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. The relatively small batch of counties that Harris won produce 62 percent of the GDP.
“Illegal border crossings last month were by far the lowest ever recorded .”
This is false. Customs and Border Protection recorded about 8,300 border encounters in February, the most recent month for which data is available. That suggests a yearly average of about 100,000. But in the early 1900s, before World War II and even in the 1960s, annual border encounters were below 30,000 — sometimes as low as 10,000 or 11,000.
“Hundreds of thousands of illegal crossings a month, and virtually all of them including murderers, drug dealers, gang members and people from mental institutions and insane asylums were released into our country.”
This is false. While under President Joe Biden, record numbers of migrants crossed the border, there is no evidence “virtually all” were violent criminals or released from mental institutions. Immigration experts know of no effort by other countries to empty their prisons and psychiatric facilities. As someone who came to prominence in the late 1970s and early ’80s, Trump appears to be channeling Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s 1980 Mariel boatlift. About 125,000 Cubans were allowed to flee to the United States in 1,700 boats — but there was a backlash when it was discovered that hundreds of the refugees had been released from jails and mental health facilities.
There is little evidence that immigrants — or even undocumented immigrants — cause more crime. Still, there is enough ambiguity in the data — or so little hard data — that it’s difficult to point to conclusive findings that would change opinions.
“I withdrew from the unfair Paris Climate accord, which was costing us trillions of dollars.”
This is false. Each country set its own commitments under the Paris accord, so Trump’s comment makes little sense. He could have unilaterally changed the commitments offered by President Barack Obama, which is technically allowed under the accord. Indeed, the agreement is nonbinding, so there was nothing in the agreement that stops the United States from building, say, coal plants, or gives permission to China or India to build coal plants. Trump’s estimates of the costs came from industry-funded studies that did not consider possible benefits from reducing climate change.
“We ended the last administration’s insane electric vehicle mandate, saving our autoworkers and companies from economic destruction.”
This is false. The Biden-Harris administration promoted incentives for electric vehicles — not the same as a mandate. The Environmental Protection Agency last year finalized new emissions standards, which the agency said could be met by 2032 if as much as 56 percent of light-duty car sales were battery-electric (up from 7.6 percent currently), an additional 13 percent were hybrid, and gas-powered cars became more efficient. By contrast, the European Union has mandated that all new cars sold will have zero emissions from 2035 — a sign that U.S. manufacturers cannot operate in a vacuum and ignore worldwide trends.
The United Auto Workers, which endorsed Harris for president, praised the EPA for adjusting the proposal to ensure a “just transition” to electric vehicles. “This rule does not require Ford, General Motors, Stellantis or any other domestic automaker to do anything beyond the commitments they’ve made to shareholders to capitalize on the growing EV market,” the union said in a statement. “We reject the fearmongering that says tackling the climate crisis must come at the cost of union jobs.”
“I have directed that for every one new regulation, 10 old regulations must be eliminated. … In that first term, we set records on ending unnecessary rules and regulations like no other president had done before.”
This appears to be false. Trump’s claim of the most or biggest regulation cuts cannot be easily verified. There is no reliable metric on which to judge this claim — or to compare him to previous presidents. Many experts say the most significant regulatory changes in U.S. history were the deregulation of the airline, rail and trucking industries during the Carter administration, which are estimated to provide consumers with $70 billion in annual benefits.
A detailed November 2020 report by the Penn Program on Regulation concluded that “without exception, each major claim we have uncovered by the President or other White House official about regulation turns out to be exaggerated, misleading, or downright untrue.” The report said the Trump administration had not reduced the overall number of pages from the regulatory code book and that it completed far more regulatory actions than deregulatory ones once the full data was examined.
“We've ended weaponized government where, as an example, a sitting president is allowed to viciously prosecute his political opponent like me.”
Trump refers to “weaponization,” code for Biden’s supposedly using the resources of the U.S. government to target his political opponent. There is no evidence that Biden directed the Justice Department or local prosecutors to pursue the four criminal cases against Trump.
“We inherited from the last administration an economic catastrophe and an inflation nightmare.”
This is absurd. Trump inherited an economy with relatively low unemployment, falling inflation and strong growth. The month before the November election, the Economist newspaper published a cover story declaring that the U.S. economy was “the envy of the world.”
“We suffered the worst inflation in 48 years. But perhaps even in the history of our country, they're not sure.”
This is false. The inflation peak in 2022 was the highest in 40 years. But amusingly, Trump seems to be arguing with his speechwriter here. In his rally speeches, Trump often falsely claims Biden had the worst inflation in U.S. history, so the second sentence seems to be an ad-lib.
Inflation peaked at 9 percent in June 2022, while annual inflation was 7 percent in 2021, 6.5 percent in 2022 and 3.4 percent in 2023. This was not the highest in U.S. history. In Trump’s adulthood, inflation was 9 percent in 1978, 13.3 percent in 1979, 12.5 percent in 1980 and 8.9 percent in 1981 — and also 8.7 percent in 1973 and 12.3 percent in 1974. Inflation was 18.1 percent in 1946, the year Trump was born. Other periods in U.S. history had even higher inflation rates.
Higher prices for goods and services would have happened no matter who was elected president in 2020. Inflation initially spiked because of pandemic-related shocks — increased consumer demand as the pandemic eased, and an inability to meet this demand because of supply-chain issues, as companies had reduced production when consumers hunkered down during the pandemic. Indeed, inflation rose around the world — with many peer countries doing worse than the United States — because of pandemic-related shocks that rippled across the globe.
“Joe Biden especially let the price of eggs get out of control.”
Egg prices spiked in early 2023 and then at the end of 2024 because of the bird flu. Trump may discover a president has little control over that.
“The appalling waste we have already identified … We found hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud.”
This is unproven. The DOGE website claims $105 billion of savings, but it provides little transparency on how the figure was created. Various news reports have documented significant errors and double-counting in the DOGE list, making the administration’s claims highly suspect. Moreover, a lot of the canceled contracts had nothing to do with “fraud” — deception or misrepresentation — but are programs that do not fit with Trump’s political agenda. Many specific claims of fraud have proven to be wrong or misleading, such as the false claim that the U.S. Agency for International Development spent $50 million to distribute condoms in Gaza. Trump in his speech read a long list of programs that he claimed were “scams,” and many of those claims were equally suspect. Following are a few of the highlights.
“…$45 million for diversity, equity and inclusion scholarships in Burma …”
This is false. The spending funded the Lincoln Scholarships, which help students in civil-war-torn Myanmar obtain master’s degrees at a U.S. university, as well education for Myanmar students across Asia. The program called for students “from diverse backgrounds” — in a country with 135 ethnic groups. Presumably the DOGE filters mistakenly identified it as a DEI program.
“…$10 million for male circumcision in Mozambique …”
This was not a scam. Male circumcision is recognized as a tool to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS, and the U.S. spending database shows a contract with Associacao Elos, a nonprofit, to fund voluntary medical circumcision.
“..$20 million for the Arab Sesame Street in the Middle East. It's a program. $20 million for a program …”
This is false. The Sesame Street program known as Ahlan Simsim that’s broadcast across the Middle East and North Africa, including Iraq, is funded by a $100 million grant from the MacArthur Foundation and additional funding by the LEGO Foundation. Trump is citing a grant for a different entity known as Ahlan Simsim Iraq that supports the creation of local content and materials, which include localized media content to reach children at scale, according to a Sesame Workshop representative.
“Funded over 6 years, the program also provides teaching and learning materials like storybooks, activity books, classroom materials, and training and facilitators’ guides for teachers for use in early childhood development centers to improve children’s learning by training teachers, parents, caregivers, and youth leaders,” the representative said.
The White House defended Trump’s claim by citing the grant language —"leveraging the popularity of the Arabic Sesame Workshop show, Ahlan Simsim Iraq produces culturally tailored and age-appropriate original educational media content for young children” — without acknowledging that this funding was not used to produce the Sesame Street TV show. As we noted, that program relies on philanthropic funding.
“..$59 million for illegal alien hotel rooms in New York City …”
New York City was awarded a grant for housing migrants under the Shelter and Services program created by Congress. Trump often falsely claims these were luxury hotel rooms, though he did not do so in this speech. New York City paid a daily rate of $156 in fiscal year 2024, a mid-tier rate, according to the city controller’s office. Luxury hotels have a rate about three times higher, according to a PricewaterhouseCoope rs estimate.
“We're also identifying shocking levels of incompetence and probable fraud in the Social Security program for our seniors, and that our seniors and people that we love rely on. Believe it or not, government databases list 4.7 million Social Security members from people aged 100 to 109 years old. It lists 3.6 million people from ages 110 to 119. I don't know any of them. I know some people that are rather elderly, but not quite. 3.47 million people from ages 120 to 129, 3.9 million people from ages 130 to 139, 3.5 million people from ages 140 to 149. …”
This is false. Trump’s riff continued until he got to the end —“one person between the age of 240 and 249 and one person listed at 360 years of age.” His numbers roughly mirrored figures posted on social media by billionaire Elon Musk, who is slashing government programs with a shock team of assistants that has been dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency.
As The Washington Post has reported, this is largely a coding issue. The Social Security Administration maintains its databases using COBOL, a nearly 70-year-old computer programming language that doesn’t have a standardized way to store and work with dates. Often a default date is chosen, most commonly May 20, 1875, if no birth date is known.
As is often the case with Trump’s claims, there is an existing government report that would have cleared up matters.
A 2023 report from the Social Security Administration’s inspector general found that virtually every beneficiary who lacked a birth date had died. Of the 18.9 million people with Social Security numbers born in 1920 or earlier with no record of their deaths, the report said “approximately 18.4 million (98 percent) number holders are not currently receiving SSA payments and have not had earnings reported to SSA in the past 50 years.”
“We have hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have not been showing up to work.”
This is false. Trump appears to equate teleworking with not showing up for work. But he often uses inflated numbers for how many federal workers work from home. The White House budget office reported in August that 54 percent of federal employees “worked fully on-site, as their jobs require them to be physically present during all working hours,” while just 10 percent worked only from their homes. Meanwhile the Congressional Budget Office reported in April that 22 percent of federal employees usually teleworked — compared to 25 percent of private sector employees.
“It was one of the main reasons why our tax cuts were so successful in our first term, giving us the most successful economy in the history of our country.”
This is false. Before the coronavirus pandemic shuttered businesses and sent unemployment soaring, the president could certainly brag about the state of the economy in his first three years. But he ran into trouble when he said it was the best economy in U.S. history. By just about any important measure, the economy under Trump did not do as well as it did under Presidents Harry S. Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson or Bill Clinton.
The gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in 2019, slipping from 2.9 percent in 2018 and 2.4 percent in 2017. But in 1997, 1998 and 1999, GDP grew 4.5 percent, 4.5 percent and 4.7 percent, respectively. Yet even that period paled in comparison with the 1950s and ’60s. Growth between 1962 and 1966 ranged from 4.4 percent to 6.6 percent. In 1950 and 1951, it was 8.7 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate reached a low of 3.5 percent under Trump, but it dipped as low as 2.5 percent in 1953.
“Over the last three months about Mexico and Canada, but we have very large deficits with both of them. But even more important, they've allowed fentanyl to come into our country at levels never seen before, killing hundreds of thousands of our citizens and many very young, beautiful people destroying families. Nobody's ever seen anything like it.”
This is false. The president in his statements points the finger equally at Mexico and Canada, but Canada is a minor player. Just 43 pounds of fentanyl were confiscated at the northern border in the 2024 fiscal year — 0.2 percent of the volume at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to Customs and Border Protection statistics. In the first three months of the 2025 fiscal year, 10 pounds have been seized at the Canadian border, compared with 4,400 pounds on the Mexican border. Canadian authorities announced in November that they had dismantled the nation’s largest drug laboratory, discovered in rural British Columbia.
Moreover, most of the smuggling of fentanyl is done by U.S. citizens. Government statistics assembled by David J. Bier of the Cato Institute show that between 2019 and 2024, U.S. citizens were 80 percent of people caught with fentanyl during border crossings at ports of entry. Moreover, between 2015 and 2024, 92 percent of fentanyl seizures occurred at legal crossing points or interior vehicle checkpoints, not on illegal migration routes, Bier concluded.
“We pay subsidies to Canada and to Mexico of hundreds of billions of dollars.”
This is misleading. The trade in goods deficit with Canada has consistently hovered between $50 billion and $70 billion per year, according to the Census Bureau, while the Mexico goods deficit was $172 billion in 2024. The deficits often are reduced by trade in services, where the United States has an advantage. But trade deficits are not “subsidies,” so Trump’s obsession with trade deficits is misplaced.
A trade deficit simply means that people in one country are buying more goods from another country than people in the second country are buying from the first country. Americans want to buy these products from overseas, either because of quality or price.
The trade-deficit numbers are also shaped by underlying factors, such as an imbalance between a country’s savings and investment rates. A bigger federal budget deficit — caused by, say, a large tax cut or more government spending — can boost the trade deficit because the country saves less and borrows more from abroad. A booming economy can also be at fault — the more money people have, the more they can spend on goods from overseas. And a strong currency means those foreign goods are cheaper for a particular country and its goods are more expensive for foreign consumers.
“We have had $1.7 trillion of new investment in America in just the past few weeks.”
This is a dubious figure, and Trump often takes false credit. Most of this claim comes from statements by Apple ($500 billion) and Saudi Arabia ($600 billion). But Apple tends to make these announcements after a new president is elected. In 2018, Apple said it would contribute $350 billion to the U.S. economy over five years; it made a similar commitment in 2021 during the Biden administration. The most recent announcement mostly overlaps with the 2021 announcement.
As for Saudi Arabia, this is a vague commitment, made in a phone call between Trump and the Saudi leader. In 2017, Trump claimed Saudi Arabia had struck $350 billion in deals, but upon inspection the list involved double-counting, wishful thinking and fuzzy figures. Many of the investments ended up in Saudi Arabia, not the United States.
Trump also touted a $100 billion investment in AI data centers, but OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman had been discussing the plans at least 10 months before Trump was inaugurated. A $100 billion investment announced this week by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. stems from an effort launched by Biden, including funds from the Chips and Science Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that passed in 2022.
“Not long ago. And you can’t even believe these numbers. 1 in 10,000 children had autism. 1 in 10,000. and now it’s 1 in 36. There’s something wrong.”
This is misleading. The rate has gotten worse since 2000, when the rate was 1 in 150, but there is no medical consensus as to whether autism is on the rise. It's unclear how much of that is due to greater awareness, early detection, and the expansion of disorders included on the autism spectrum.
The criteria for diagnosing autism have changed with revisions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). In 1983, the criteria for “autistic disorder” were more restrictive. More disorders were added since then, broadening the range of disorders that now meet the definition of the Autism Spectrum Disorder, according to the Autism Science Foundation, a nonprofit that supports autism research and raising awareness of the disorder.
“But it was built at tremendous cost of American blood and treasure. 38,000 workers died building the Panama Canal. They died of malaria. They died of snakebites and mosquitoes.”
Trump’s estimate of 38,000 dead is exaggerated. The accepted estimate is fewer than 6,000, mainly from injury and disease. Many were not Americans. Black workers, including many West Indians, by some estimates were nearly four times more likely to die than White workers. An earlier French effort to build a canal (when Panama was still a province of Colombia) led to the death of 22,000, many from malaria and yellow fever.
“Europe has sadly spent more money buying Russian Oil and Gas than they have spent on defending Ukraine — by far!”
This is false. Trump is referring to a study that found the European Union in 2024 spent more on Russian fossil fuels than financial aid for Ukraine — but that estimate did not include military or humanitarian contributions. Overall, European spending on Ukraine greatly exceeded spending on Russian gas and oil.
“We’ve spent perhaps $350 billion [on Ukraine], like taking candy from a baby. That’s what happened. And they’ve [the E.U.] spent $100 billion.”
Trump’s numbers are wrong. The United States has appropriated $183 billion, according to the inspector general for Ukraine aid. The Kiel Institute for the World Economy, which tracks support for Ukraine, says the United States and the European Union have provided roughly the same amount of military aid, while the Europeans have provided far more nonmilitary aid than the United States — $73 billion vs. $52 billion.
“Biden has authorized more money in this fight than Europe has spent by billion and billions of dollars.”
This is apples and oranges. The E.U. has both authorized more money and spent more money on Ukraine than the United States, but not all of the money authorized has been spent yet. The United States has appropriated $183 billion and disbursed or obligated $140.5 billion. Meanwhile, the E.U. has committed $198 billion and spent $145 billion.
Mar 5, 2025
President Trump made claims during his address to Congress about apparent fraud in the Social Security system. Mr. Trump also touted the work by the Department of Government Efficiency, which is connected to Elon Musk's role advising the president. CBS News Confirmed's Rhona Tarrant fact checks the claims.
CBS News 24/7 is the premier anchored streaming news service from CBS News and Stations that is available free to everyone with access to the internet and is the destination for breaking news, live events, original reporting and storytelling, and programs from CBS News and Stations' top anchors and correspondents working locally, nationally and around the globe. It is available on more than 30 platforms across mobile, desktop and connected TVs for free, as well as CBSNews.com and Paramount+ and live in 91 countries.
CTV News' Chief political correspondent Mike Le Couteur says Trudeau and Trump just wrapped up a call to discuss tariffs with JD Vance and Howard Lutnick.
Trudeau and Trump held a phone call over the trade war | Here’s what we know
Mar 5, 2025 #CNN #News
A divided Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s request to keep billions of dollars in foreign aid approved by Congress frozen. However, the court did not immediately say when the money must be released, allowing the White House to continue to dispute the issue in lower courts. The ruling was 5-4.
As rank-and-file members of Congress, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., each receive a salary of $174,000. As the Senate minority leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., receives a higher wage of $193,400.
The X post overstated the net worths of McConnell, Schumer and Warren by tens of millions of dollars each, according to 2023 public financial disclosures.
Lawmakers are allowed to disclose their assets in ranges, rather than in precise figures. Pelosi’s disclosures show the X post’s $202 million net worth figure is possible given the range of what she has reported, but much of that disclosed wealth is held solely by her husband.
By Sara Swann
A viral X post called out prominent Democratic and Republican members of Congress for their significant wealth, pointing to their six-figure salaries and multimillion dollar net worths. But almost all the figures listed in the post were wrong.
By the Feb. 11 X post’s account, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has an annual salary of $223,000 and a net worth of $202 million; Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has an annual salary of $200,000 and a net worth of $95 million; Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has an annual salary of $210,000 and a net worth of $75 million; and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has an annual salary of $285,000 and a net worth of $67 million.
The post was viewed more than 55 million times as of Feb. 17, and it tagged billionaire X owner Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory committee Musk leads for President Donald Trump.
"It’s not like these politicians started companies or were NBA All-Stars, so where did they get all the money?" Musk, the world’s richest person, wrote on X. "Does anyone know?"
Members of Congress are required to file annual financial disclosure reports detailing their assets and liabilities. Annual salaries for lawmakers are also publicly reported. But the lawmakers’ net worths aren’t driven by their government salaries; instead, their wealth mostly comes from investments, such as stocks and real estate.
PolitiFact analyzed these four congressional members’ 2023 financial disclosure reports — the most recent ones available — and found that this post exaggerates the lawmakers’ wealth.
How much are members of Congress paid?
Most congressional members receive an annual salary of $174,000, the Congressional Research Service said. For those in leadership positions, including House speaker, Senate president pro tempore and the House and Senate majority and minority leaders, the pay is higher.
When Pelosi was House speaker, she received a $223,500 salary. The X post claims this is still how much Pelosi makes, but that’s inaccurate. Pelosi left this leadership position in 2023, so her current salary is $174,000.
Similarly, McConnell, the longest serving Senate leader in history, left his position as Republican Senate leader in November 2024. In that leadership role, McConnell earned $193,400. His salary this year is $174,000. Even at his highest pay, McConnell earned less than what the post claimed.
Schumer, as the Democratic Senate minority leader, receives a $193,400 salary, about $17,000 less than what the post said.
Warren does not serve in any leadership positions, so her salary is $174,000 — $111,000 less than the post claimed.
These congressional salary levels have remained unchanged since 2009, the Congressional Research Service said.
How wealthy are these members of Congress?
Net worth is the value of a person’s assets, such as cash, real estate or stocks, minus any debts owed. In their annual financial disclosures, lawmakers are not required to report the exact value of their assets and liabilities. Instead, they must list a range of values for each item.
Additionally, not all of the assets and liabilities reported are held solely by the Congress member. Lawmakers must also report assets and liabilities held solely by or jointly with their spouses.
To estimate the Congress members’ net worths, PolitiFact added the minimum possible values for each asset and the maximum possible values for each asset. We did the same for the lawmakers’ liabilities.
We then subtracted the lawmakers’ maximum debt amount from their minimum asset amount, and their minimum debt amount from their maximum asset amount. The resulting range shows how much each lawmaker could be worth. We included in our calculations assets and liabilities held by lawmakers’ spouses.
Pelosi
The minimum possible value of Pelosi’s household assets in 2023 totaled more than $92 million. The maximum possible value of the assets totaled about $371 million. Pelosi’s household debts in 2023 ranged from $36 million to $102 million. Most of these assets and liabilities were held solely by Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, a businessperson who founded a real estate and venture capital investment firm.
Subtracting the Pelosi household’s maximum debt amount — $102 million — from their minimum asset amount — $92 million — results in a minimum possible net worth of about negative $10 million, meaning she would be millions of dollars in debt.
On the other hand, Pelosi and her husband could be worth as much as about $335 million when subtracting their minimum debt of $36 million from their maximum asset amount of $371 million.
So, it’s possible that Pelosi has a net worth of $202 million, as the X post claimed, but that’s a guess — and the post lacks context about the holdings mostly belonging to Pelosi’s husband and the range of wealth they could have.
McConnell
McConnell reported that the value of his assets in 2023 ranged from about $17.7 million to almost $70 million. Less than half this wealth came from assets owned solely by McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao. McConnell reported no liabilities. (Lawmakers are required to report only debts of more than $10,000.) The X post overstated McConnell’s highest possible net worth by about $25 million.
Schumer
Schumer’s 2023 financial disclosure report shows his household net worth ranged from about $687,000 to about $2.3 million. Almost all of the assets reported were held by Schumer’s wife, Iris Weinshall, and the one reported liability was a jointly held mortgage. The post inflated Schumer’s household net worth by more than $70 million.
Warren
Warren reported that the value of her assets in 2023 ranged from about $4 million to more than $9 million. Two assets held by Warren’s husband, Bruce Mann, had a value of at least $1 million with no maximum value disclosed, so Warren’s household net worth could be higher. Warren reported no liabilities. The X post exaggerated her net worth by about $58 million.
Warren’s spokesperson said the $67 million number is inaccurate and referred PolitiFact to Warren’s public financial disclosure reports.
An X post claimed that Pelosi has a $223,000 salary and a $202 million net worth; McConnell has a $200,000 salary and a $95 million net worth; Schumer has a $210,000 salary and a $75 million net worth; and Warren has a $285,000 salary and a $67 million net worth.
Almost all of these figures are wrong. All the salaries listed in the post are higher than what these lawmakers currently earn. It’s possible Pelosi’s net worth could be in the $202 million range, but that’s a guess, and the claim lacks context about how much of Pelosi’s reported wealth is held solely by her husband.
There were more than 4.5 million removals, returns and expulsions from February 2021, President Joe Biden’s first month in office, to November 2024.
It takes several years for immigrants to become citizens, a requirement to vote in federal elections.
By By Maria Ramirez Uribe & Amy Sherman
When he wasn’t waving a bureaucracy chainsaw at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Elon Musk revived false campaign rhetoric about former President Joe Biden trying to import voters illegally.
In a Feb. 20 interview, Newsmax host Rob Schmitt asked, "You think they were creating a new voter class? You think that was the goal when they opened up the borders for four years?"
Musk said Biden had a political incentive to "maximize" people in the country illegally.
"That is why the Biden administration was pushing to get in as many illegals as possible and spend every dollar possible to get as many, because every one of them is a customer," Musk said. "Everyone's a voter. The whole thing was a giant voter importation scam."
Musk, now involved with President Donald Trump’s commission to cut government spending, repeated falsehoods he spread early in the 2024 election year that Biden had an election strategy to import voters through illegal immigration. We emailed the White House press office asking for evidence and did not hear back.
Biden stepped up immigration enforcement during the election year
There were historically high levels of illegal immigration during the Biden administration, but there is no evidence that Biden "imported" those people to become voters. Factors such as natural disasters and economic or political turmoil in a persons’ home country lead people to migrate.
Additionally, Musk’s statement ignored that the Biden administration removed and deported immigrants in the U.S. illegally, and it stepped up efforts in 2024 as he ran for reelection. (He dropped out in July.)
The Biden administration removed, returned or expelled more than 4.5 million people from February 2021, Biden’s first full month in office, to November 2024, the latest month with available data.
Illegal immigration has generally dropped since March 2024, and it dropped significantly after June, when Biden implemented a policy limiting people’s ability to apply for asylum at the southwest border. For example, there were more than 137,000 southwest border encounters in March 2024 and 47,000 in December.
"Biden was trying to deport as many border crossers as he could, so I don’t see any evidence he wanted these people in the United States," said David Bier, an immigration expert at the libertarian Cato Institute. "He campaigned as being anti-illegal immigration. He never courted their votes, and he could not court their votes because they cannot vote and do not vote. Saying ‘every one of them was a voter’ is as divorced from reality as anything you could possibly say."
It takes several years for immigrants to become citizens
Federal law requires U.S. citizenship to vote in national elections, and would-be voters sign a form that attests under penalty of perjury that they are citizens when they register to vote.
The citizenship process takes several years.
"It takes on average five years in green card status before a person can become a U.S. citizen, so no one would instantly gain the right to vote," Michelle Mittelstadt, a spokesperson for the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute, previously told PolitiFact.
Musk acknowledged at CPAC that it might take years for immigrants to gain citizenship, but it would be "an investment that is guaranteed to pay off."
Immigrants who arrive illegally have higher hurdles to clear before becoming citizens and voting. The Biden administration failed in its efforts to pass a law with a pathway to citizenship, and no such legislation is expected during the Trump administration.
Which party would have the ‘immigrant’ advantage?
There is no guarantee that immigrants who become citizens will vote, or vote for Democrats. Although the southwest border gets the most attention, immigrants who come illegally are not from Latin America only.
Mike Madrid, a Republican strategist in California and author of the book "The Latino Century," said Republicans won the largest national Hispanic vote share in 2024 than in presidential elections in recent cycles.
Immigrants, including Hispanics, view the Republican Party as focused on economic issues and the Democratic Party as focused on cultural issues, Madrid said.
The New York Times documented a conservative shift among immigrants after the 2020 election. Its analysis of voting in 28,000 precincts in more than 20 cities found that immigrant-dense neighborhoods with large populations of Latinos and residents of Asian descent had a surge in turnout and shifted to the right.
"There is zero evidence that immigration has harmed Republican Party prospects," Bier previously told us.
Eligible naturalized citizens comprise about 10% of voters, Pew Research Center found in 2024.
Voting by noncitizens is rare
There are incidents of noncitizens voting in elections, but they are sporadic among millions of votes cast in federal elections. Immigrants who cross the border illegally are typically looking for jobs and many are escaping poverty or crime — most don’t want to risk drawing government authorities’ attention by casting a ballot.
Voting by noncitizens carries high risks that include deportation if they are here illegally or incarceration. Fraudulent voter registration or voting by noncitizens often results from misunderstandings or errors. For example, some noncitizens accidentally register to vote when applying for a driver’s license.
Musk said Biden’s immigration policy was "a giant voter importation scam."
There is no evidence that the Biden administration was bringing in people illegally to cast votes. Government data shows more than 4.5 million removals, returns and expulsions during Biden’s tenure. Biden stepped up these actions during the election year.
It takes several years for immigrants to become citizens and therefore eligible to vote. Immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally cannot vote and would have to overcome hurdles to become citizens.
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